


To Make a Call

by Meldanya, PhryneFicathon



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 01:26:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17091488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meldanya/pseuds/Meldanya, https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhryneFicathon/pseuds/PhryneFicathon
Summary: Prudence Stanley's sterling reputation among Melbourne’s social set starts to fray when she makes questionable choices.





	To Make a Call

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Heavyheadedgal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavyheadedgal/gifts).



"Well, that was _quite_ the party." 

"Well, indeed, but you know how oldest sons are…" 

Elnora Playter sniffed. Her friend Lady Agatha was much too soft. "Even so, I am shocked that Mrs. Stanley thought it appropriate to invite us." 

"Well, she always had blind spot where Guy is concerned ..." murmured Lady Agatha. "Her parties are usually so impeccable." 

"That champagne! The missing girl! The indecent orgy-like atmosphere." Mrs. Playter clanged her teacup down. "Did you see the way that waiter spoke to me, Agatha? Positive impertinence! I don't know how he passed Mrs. Stanley’s exacting interviews." 

"The handsome fair one? What did he say?” 

“I distinctly heard him muttering about bourgeois snobs when he handed me my drink. Prudence Stanley, hiring _communists_!” 

“I don't believe he's a professional waiter. I believe he was a substitute at the last moment." Agatha said soothingly. “Her niece engaged them. You know she knows nothing about hiring proper staff.” 

“I suppose…” Mrs. Playter pursed her lips. 

Lady Agatha continued gently. "I'm sure once Mr. Guy Stanley sails, Mrs. Stanley's parties will return to the respectable events you can depend on." 

Agatha privately thought the party was much more exciting that their social set’s normal staid events, but she didn’t dare say so to Elnora. 

* * *

"I don't know what's come over her, I really don't." Mrs. Playter was fuming again. "And to think Prudence Stanley had the nerve to lecture me -- _me!_ \-- about charity and compassion." 

Even Lady Agatha was somewhat ruffled. "Prudence Stanley has always been stubborn, but just to think ..." 

"She brings that little ... that little ... that _girl_ and her bastard child into her home and then expects me to be served tea by her!" 

"And she was so rude to you!" cried Agatha. 

"Charity is all very well, but it doesn't mean it needs to be serving me tea." Mrs. Playter fumed. 

"Still, perhaps with a bit of training, the girl might turn out well. Mrs. Stanley does turn out the most superior maids." Lady Agatha settled herself down. "I'm sure her motives were commendable. And after all, Elnora, you _were_ rather harsh speaking to the girl." 

Mrs. Playter clearly did not think Prudence's motives were at all commendable. "There was still no need for Mrs. Stanley to defend the girl over me. However, we shall see how it turns out.” 

Lady Agatha took from that statement that her friend did not mean to quit visiting the Stanleys just yet. 

* * *

The next few times they called on Prudence Stanley were utterly uneventful. Mrs. Playter found other people to criticize. 

One morning, Lady Agatha was standing in Stanley's front hall, waiting for the lady of the house to appear; Agatha was looking for assistance with her latest missionary tea. Prudence’s booming voice sounds down the hall. “Now, Albert. I simply insist that you stop moping over this Russian woman.” 

Agatha perked up her ears but couldn’t make out the man’s response. 

“Nonsense! I tell you what – come stay here with me and Arthur and this little man and forget about whatshername.” 

At that, Prudence came into the hall, holding a baby and accompanied by a rough-looking gloomy gentleman who quietly slipped off at the sight of her. Agatha caught a glimpse of his face and stifled a gasp – it was the rude commie waiter! He was coming to live here? 

"Ah, Lady Agatha, I'm so sorry -- Little Man here simply needs me. He keeps me so busy these days!" Prudence apologized, saying she couldn’t assist today. The baby smiled at Agatha. He was quite adorable, even with his questionable parentage. Agatha really couldn’t blame Prudence for doting on him. 

As she drove away, Agatha mulled over the juicy bit of gossip that she had for Mrs. Playter. Commies and bastard children taking over Prudence Stanley's home. 

By the time she got home however, she decided against telling her friend. She didn’t want to feed Elnora’s complaints about Prudence. Besides, one baby and one lodger did not a scandal make. 

* * *

And then Arthur Stanley died and everything went wrong. 

It seemed to Lady Agatha that Elnora was shockingly well-informed about the scandal at the Stanleys, considering she had vowed she would never call again. How Dr. Samuels had taken the poor woman in. Mrs. Playter spit venom with every new development. 

"Disgraced doctor."   
"Found dead!"   
"Stark naked!"   
“Suicide attempts!”   
"A device I dare not even name." 

Every day, Agatha wished she could call and check on her friend, but she kept putting it off. She didn’t want the gossip to start about her. 

* * *

"I don't know what we will encounter here," Mrs. Playter sniffed on Mrs. Stanley's doorstep. "I just don't." 

Dr. Samuels was gone, the hysteria had cleared, and the two women were daring to call on Prudence again. "After all, Prudence Stanley is one of our oldest friends and she needs our support in this challenging time." Elnora had said. Agatha suspected that she was just wanted to feed her curiosity. 

They were shown into the parlour and Elnora froze in horror. The rude waiter was there talking to Mary the maid, and she was sitting on the chaise, while Prudence was on the floor playing with the crawling baby. Mrs. Playter -- speechless at this lack of decorum -- simply turned around and left, beckoning Lady Agatha to join her. 

Agatha turned to go as well, but then Prudence called out to her, "Oh, Agatha! Elnora! Look, Little Man has learned how to crawl." 

Just then, the baby managed to crawl to Agatha and she couldn’t resist. She ignored Elnora’s cry of ‘Agatha!’ and got on the floor saying, “Oh, what a beautiful baby!” 

Mary grinned, and Prudence didn’t notice as Mrs. Playter unceremoniously departed. 

Tea was served, while all four of them ended up on the floor with the baby, who was crawling to each person in turn. 

“You’re a natural with him, Albert,” said Prudence in a tone loaded with meaning. “Just a natural.” 

Next to her, Mary started blushing furiously. Bert put the baby down and got up to take his leave.

Prudence frowned. “You’re not going already, are you Albert?” 

Bert stammered. “Miss Fisher …”

“My niece can very well wait. I believe you were going to ask Mary something?” 

Both Mary and Bert were now bright red. “Mary … would you like to join me for a ride?” Bert managed to stammer out. 

Mary blurted out. “Oh, I’d love to.” 

Bert beamed. 

As they left, Prudence turned beaming to Agatha, “Albert's become such a steady, reliable young man. And I am not having Little Man grow up without a father.” She smiled down at the child and murmured to herself. “Yes, this is quite satisfactory.”

* * *

Neither Prudence or Agatha were invited to Mrs. Playter’s Christmas tea the next month. Agatha didn't mind; someone needed to mind the baby. After all, Prudence had a wedding to plan.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: _Aunt Prudence plays matchmaker for Bert._


End file.
